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Birmingham, Alabama, metropolitan area
The Birmingham metropolitan area, sometimes known as Greater Birmingham, is a metropolitan area in central Alabama centered around the city of Birmingham. As of 2013, the federal government defines the Birmingham-Hoover, AL Metropolitan Statistical Area as consisting of seven counties (Bibb, Blount, Chilton, Jefferson, St. Clair, Shelby, and Walker) centered around Birmingham. The population of this metropolitan statistical area as of the 2010 census was 1,128,047, making it the 49th largest metropolitan statistical area in the United States as of that date. The seven counties in the Birmingham–Hoover metropolitan statistical area are combined with the Cullman micropolitan area (Cullman County) and the Talladega-Sylacauga micropolitan area (Talladega County) to form the federally defined Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL Combined Statistical Area. According to the United States Census 2013 estimate, the combined statistical area has a population of 1,302,652. It is the 42nd largest population sub-region in the United States, and the largest population region in Alabama, constituting roughly 1/4 of the state's population. Nearby counties Tuscaloosa, Etowah, and Calhoun, while not officially a part of Greater Birmingham, contribute significantly to the region's economy. Counties *Bibb *Blount *Chilton *Cullman *Jefferson *St. Clair *Shelby *Talladega *Walker Cities Primary Cities *Birmingham *Hoover *Talladega Suburbs with more than 10,000 inhabitants *Alabaster *Bessemer *Calera *Center Point *Cullman *Fairfield *Forestdale *Gardendale *Homewood *Helena *Hueytown *Irondale *Jasper *Leeds *Mountain Brook *Pelham *Pell City *Trussville *Vestavia Hills Economy The economy of Greater Birmingham is the most diversified of any metropolitan area in Alabama. Many of the region's major employers are located in Birmingham and Jefferson County. The economy of Birmingham ranges from service industries such as banking and finance to health-related technological research and heavy industry. The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) is Alabama's largest employer as well as the area's largest, with some 20,000 employees. The area is world headquarters for Regions Financial, one of the nation's top 10 banks, and Books-A-Million, the second largest book retailer in the United States. Major employers *Alabama Power *AT&T (formerly BellSouth) *Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Alabama *Compass Bancshares *Drummond Company *EBSCO Industries *Energen *HealthSouth *Hibbett Sports, Inc. *Liberty National Life Insurance Co. (part of Torchmark) *McWane, Inc. *Regions Financial Corporation (merged with AmSouth) *Royal Cup Coffee, Inc. *Southern Research Institute *Sloss Industries *Torchmark *University of Alabama at Birmingham *Vulcan Materials Company *Wells Fargo (formerly SouthTrust and then Wachovia) Transportation Road Greater Birmingham is at the convergence of four major interstate highways: Interstate 65 which connects to Mobile and Nashville, Tennessee, Interstate 20 which connects to Dallas and Atlanta, Interstate 59 which connects to New Orleans and Chattanooga, Tennessee, and Interstate 22 which connects to Memphis. Interstate 459, completed in 1984, forms a southern bypass around Birmingham. It runs through portions of Bessemer, Vestavia Hills, and Trussville, and forms a main route through the primary city of Hoover. Interstate 422, the Birmingham Northern Bypass is planned to run from the current I-20/59/459 interchange near Bessemer to Interstate 59 and US Route 11 near Argo. It is planned to be completed by 2048. Four U.S. highways, US-31, US-11, US-78, and US-280, run through Greater Birmingham. US-31 parallels Interstate 65 for its entire route, including Greater Birmingham. US-280 runs southeast of the city, connecting it with Auburn and Auburn University. The corridor is colloquially known as simply "280" and is notorious for its traffic. US-31 and 280 merge in Homewood to form the Elton B. Stephens Expressway. This expressway goes through a geologic cut through Red Mountain, connecting downtown Birmingham to its southern suburbs. US-78 parallels Interstate 22 to the northwest of Birmingham, and Interstate 20 to the east. US-11 parallels Interstate 59 for its entire route. All four of these highways meet in downtown Birmingham. Mass transit Birmingham received $87 million from the US Congress to help fund a regional transportation system, however no progress has been made. The only form of regional mass transit is the Birmingham-Jefferson County Transportation Authority bus system which has been severely underfunded. Birmingham ranks as one of the top automobile cities, and routinely fails EPA air quality standards. Air Greater Birmingham is served by the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport, with service by American Airlines, American Eagle, Southwest, US Airways, United, and Delta. Many Birmingham air travelers make the trip to nearby Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, the busiest airport in the United States. There have been proposals to build a major international airport in the Greater Birmingham area to serve as a relief airport for Atlanta, but no official plans have been made. Natural features *Red Mountain *Oak Mountain State Park *Double Oak Mountain *Black Warrior River *Cahaba River *Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge *Talladega National Forest (Oakmulgee Division) *Coosa River Rivers * Cahaba River * Black Warrior River * Coosa River * Locust Fork of the Black Warrior River * Mulberry Fork of the Black Warrior River * Sipsey Fork of the Black Warrior River See also *Piedmont Atlantic *Table of United States Combined Statistical Areas *Table of United States Metropolitan Statistical Areas References External links *Birmingham Business Alliance, a co-operative that involves many of the counties in Greater Birmingham Category:Birmingham–Hoover metropolitan area Category:Geography of Birmingham, Alabama Category:Metropolitan areas of Alabama